“لموا زهر للمسيح”; “pick some flowers for Christ”, a sound that kept coming out from some children in our village, after a quiet afternoon in the north of Lebanon. My kids and I had just moved from the UAE. We were wondering what this was all about. We encountered many changes throughout that first year but this event was one that will remain in my memory and thoughts forever. We were always looking forward to learn and share the tradition, anxious and eager to know what was happening around us.

Our first good Friday was a wonderful experience. We learned from the children that we let in our garden that their chants were a call for collecting flowers from the neighborhood gardens to be put in the churches for Jesus’s mass. Since that year until now every generation practices this tradition. All you young moms and grandmothers can do the same by taking your kids around picking flowers and sharing this lovely tradition. This activity creates a memorable bond between two generations. As for city parents and grandparents, there are plenty of places to practice this tradition, for example by visiting different nurseries and buying some flowers to take to church.

Enjoy life and every gift in it, a happy childhood is an asset; collect nice memories for one day your children will remember these wonderful days where they were taught kindness, compassion, and honesty.

“دعوا الاطفال ياتون الي لان لهم ملكوت السموات”

On the other hand, adults from each neighborhood in the Koura region of north Lebanon, gather together to prepare the traditional meal called “kibbet el 7eeleh” and “kibbeh 2at3a”, while the prayers are heard in every corner of the village. We usually eat together and make sure every elderly has his/her share.

This meal is cooked on Friday, however, some preparations start on Thursday. For example, the chick peas. Soak your peas on Thursday evening, overnight.

Friday morning:

Soak the crushed wheat for a few hours, 3 cups thinly crushed wheat-برغل ناعم plus 1 cup thick wheat-برغل خشن

Meanwhile chop a bunch of parsley

Half a bunch of mint

Some spring onions

Salt, pepper, and chilly to taste

Mix well and add flour until you get a dough, keep adding the flour, while dipping your hand in water, until combined; you may need to sprinkle some more flour if the dough is too wet or water if stiff

This dough mixture is to be separated into two batches, one for the soup and one for the kibbeh

The dough should come together to make balls that are a bit moist and sticky

These balls will be inserted into a mixture of boiled lentils/ half cooked

In a separate pan, fry the crushed garlic with mint in olive oil and add them to the soup

Add lemon juice plus sumac up to taste

At the end and to enhance the taste, add a cup of olive oil

For the Kibbet el 2at3a

Add some chick peas to the second batch that have been already soaked and peeled

You think it’s difficult to peel chickpeas? Well here is an easy way to do it:

Place the peas into a plastic bag and gently roll the rolling-pin over them for the peel to come off without breaking them

Take them out of the bag and soak them in water

The peel will automatically rise to the top, keep changing the water until all are peeled

Form the mixture into patties,  not too thick; like in the picture above

Fry or bake using olive oil

You can either make them into patties or spread on a tray and bake in the oven

May you all have a blessed easter and enjoy its message of love and forgiveness. With love, Jahna

Christ has risen, المسيح قام. حقاً قام